FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 306, 22 September 1919, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION

FINAL REMITS OP THE CONFER- < . BNGB. • The following aro additioual remits adopted op tho Fanners' Union Conferference which concluded last week:—By Mr. It. Dunn, Taranaki: "That in the opinion of this conference, noxious weeds have lieeomo shell a nuisance as to warrant. a complete chango in the provisions for their 'control, and would advise tho following: That legislation .bo passed providing that, on the petition of one or more local bodies or a porpoi'ition of tho ratepayers in any district, a Noxious Weeds Board may be set up consisting of local representatives, cither by election or nomination, with, say, n representative of tho Department Tho board to havo powers, including. the following:— (1) Classifying .and dividing the district under their'control 'in areas (not necessarily continuous) such as, say (a) clean, ■ (b) fairly clean, (c) bad, but reclaimnble, (d) extremely bad.- (2) Differential rating powers either for purposes of providing funds for management fov tho work of weed suppression or as security for loans to be raised for the same purpose. (3) To enforoo the control or eradication ■of weeds in any part of tho area under their control, either by-tho owner or holder. (1) To, on failuro of above, carry out the work at, cost of owner or holder, or. out of rates or loan. (5) To obtain through tlio Courtf an order em> powering the taking over on valuation any land which it has been .proved to the satisfaction of the Court that tlio practical reclamation for fanning purposes is impossible. (G) • And for the board to undertake the suppression by afforestation or other means." (Taranaki). Mr- Dunn urged that the time had arrived when stringent measures should bo token to olieck tho spread of noxious weeds. He admitted that there were many farmers who did thoir utmost to put down thoso weeds, but there woro others who were allowed to pollute tho district.

Dr. ,C. J. Reakes, Director of Agriculture, said that n proposal of somewhat similar lines had boon receiving the attention of the Department. He had prepared regulations covering the details of the remit, and ho could say that the Department was about to introduce legislation similar to what was proposed. Mr. Q. W. Leadley, Ashburton, criticised the present legislation, and 6iiid that it was not clTectivo. Something, should 1)0 done to improve its administration. Any man guilty of permitting the nuisance should have a fair opportunity of taking measures to abate the nuisance. lie also complained of the Department's methods. The remit was carried unanimously. "That the Agricultural Department be requested to declare 'Lnntnna' a noxious shnib, and prohibit any Lantana seed being imported into this country." (Wellington). Injnoving tlio foregoing remit, Mr. J. H. M'Leavoy (Wellington) said that it was desirablo that steps should bo taken to prohibit the growth of Lantana in Now Zealand. Already it was to bo seen in Auckland. Tho remit was carried. Tho following other remit was also carried: "That tho Department of Agriculture bo asked to institute research for the purpose of finding means to cope with tho creeping or water fern, which is a- great pest to settlers on tho high lands of tlio North Wellington nud Taranaki provinces." (Wellington.) Dr. Eeakes stated in this connection that the Department was already carrying out extensive experiments' in order to discover the most practical and economical method ol abating the growth of this noxious fern.